The display of shoes for retail sales purposes, as well as the storage of shoes by the consumer, is often haphazard and totally lacking in organization. For instance, it is very typical for a consumer to simply store shoes on a floor of a closet with no mechanical assistance whatever. Retail stores often make use of shelves to display samples of shoes which are either loose or tied to one another. Most retail stores continue to store most available pairs of shoes in a backroom, keeping them in individual boxes. Such storage facilities are inaccessible to the public and require high labor intensity for retail sales service.
The present disclosure relates to a shoe hanger that is highly adaptable to most sizes and types of shoes and which can be readily used to frictionally grip individual shoes for display and storage purposes. It lends itself to both self-service sales displays and open displays of shoes for viewing by consumers, even though the actual selection and fitting of the shoe might be aided by sales personnel. The hanger also has utility for consumer use in the storing of the shoes when not being worn.
There have been prior attempts to produce usable racks for individually holding shoes as alternatives to the normal shelves and counters, which do not lend themselves to ready organization of individual shoes. The prior patent to Lebovits shows a rack-mounted tree of shoes, having a rigid forward saddle and a lower longitudinal spring that resiliently bears against the lower portion of the shoe. It extends a substantial length along the inner portion of the shoe and would not be readily adaptable to all forms and shapes of shoes as are now available on the market. The patent to Carver, 678,356, shows another sample display rack, which utilizes external supports to cradle individual shoes. Again, it would pose difficulty in adapting to a wide variety of shoe shapes or sizes.
Besides the above racks, there are a wide variety of shoe trees available today, some of them including expandable toe portions that are forced apart by longitudinal pressure between the rear end of the shoe and the tree. However, shoe trees are not applicable to many types of shoes, such as those lacking any heel area, and do not readily lend themselves to hanging of shoes or suspension for display purposes. The normal purpose of a shoe tree is to maintain the shoe in an extended position conforming to the foot of the user so as to prevent the shoe from curling or bending when not in use. Stretchers are also available which can be fitted into the toe of a shoe and expanded for treating the shoe. Expansion normally is not automatic, but must be controlled by external manipulation. Stretchers are not normally used for display or storage purposes.
The present disclosure sets forth a relatively simple structure which can be inserted into almost any type of shoe having the usual instep and a vamp or strap forming a girth about the forward portion of the arch of the foot. As used herein, the term "shoe" refers to the normal oxfords and pumps, as well as low cut boots, protective outer shoes, slippers, sandals and similar footwear having a sole and a vamp structure arched over the sole to present a girth that encircles the forward portion of the arch of the foot. The vamp is normally defined as that portion of a shoe or boot upper that covers the instep and toes. The insole is that portion of the innersole in the shoe that normally supports the toes and instep.